Friday, April 9, 2010

"Patriots must be sent packin.'" To which I reply, "Your side first brought guns to this table. And, if you must insist, let's eat."

Patriots must be sent packin' -- Problems start when one side brings weapons to the conversation

Errol Louis

Thursday, April 8th 2010, 4:00 AM

It's too soon to conclude that the latest uptick in far-right political activity represents a serious threat to our democracy. But it looks like things will get worse before they get better.

I trust the good sense of the people, embodied and supported by the Constitution and the rule of law, will ultimately send the extremists packing.

I also tend to think that half of the problem - the threats and vandalism directed against politicians, the loose talk about armed revolt against an allegedly Marxist administration in the White House - could be solved by a 5-point drop in the unemployment rate.

But the economists say that we won't see a real increase in jobs until the middle of next year at the earliest, and the national level of frustration will surely rise until then. And that creates fertile soil for extremism.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks violent groups, says so-called Patriot organizations, which argue that the federal government is fundamentally oppressive and out of control, soared to 512 groups in 2009 from 149 groups in 2008.

In that same one-year period, says the law center, the number of armed militia groups affiliated with the movement increased to 127 from 43.

The recent capture of the heavily armed Hutaree group for allegedly planning attacks on law enforcement was followed by this week's arrest of Charles Wilson, who allegedly left a series of threatening messages on the voice mail of Washington Sen. Patty Murray.

"Kill the f-----g senator! I'll donate the lead. Now that you've passed your health care bill, let the violence begin," said one message, according to authorities.

Wilson faces up to 10 years in prison for his actions. His arrest should serve as a warning to those tempted to cross the line separating dissent from criminality.

Far less threatening, but of great concern, are the self-styled patriots who marry far-out theories of government with enthusiasm for guns.

I recently talked with Daniel Almond, founder of something called Restore the Constitution. Almond thinks the Constitution has been abused and is calling for people who feel the same way to gather on the border of Washington, D.C., with guns.

He'll also be carrying an unloaded rifle and a pouch full of ammunition.

The date Almond chose for the demonstration, April 19, is known to many Americans as the anniversary of Timothy McVeigh's 1995 terrorist attack in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people. He insists that he chose the date because it's also the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord that launched the American Revolution in 1775.

Like any good activist, Almond clearly seeks to be provocative. Mission accomplished on that score: the date, the guns and the proximity to the White House will surely rattle and enrage a lot of people.

I'm less bothered by Almond's tactics than by his faulty reading of history and the Constitution.

He thinks the federal government has been violating the Constitution ever since the New Deal in the 1930s, and believes the federal minimum wage and all drug laws - and, of course, the recently passed health care law - are all unconstitutional.

Like many in the Patriot movement, he assigns an infinite amount of weight to the 10th Amendment, which limits federal power, without taking into account the Constitution's Supremacy Clause, which declares actions of Congress the ultimate law of the land. (You can hear our conversation online at errollouis.com.)

The tension between conflicting passages of the Constitution has frustrated and bedeviled generations of judges, lawmakers and scholars. And we have more than enough universities, courts, newspapers and town squares where it can all be debated peacefully.

The problems begin when one side, frustrated by losing at the ballot box and in the courts, decides to tip the scales by bringing weapons to the conversation.

At that point, we have no choice but to stop debating and start denouncing. And call in the authorities.

Subject: From the guy who urged people to break windows, a comment on your column.

Mr. Louis.

Your column is entitled "Patriots must be sent packin' -- Problems start when one side brings weapons to the conversation." Pardon me if I disagree with the first part, but wholeheartedly agree with the second.

You see, the way we look at it, it was your side who brought the guns to the table first.

The new "Health Care" law very philanthropically orders us, all of us, to play or pay in your new nanny-state tyranny of good intentions. We MUST buy what the law tells us or we will be fined. If we refuse out of principle to pay the fine, we will be arrested. If we resist arrest at the point of an IRS raiding party's firearms, we will be killed. Your "law" does not SAY that in so many words, but I think we're all familiar with the way things work in federal law enforcement. If you are unclear about this point you may look up a Davidian and ask them, if you can find any still alive.

Ironic, ain't it? You intend to see to our "health care" by killing us, and the new law provides for many thousands of new IRS agents to do just that. It was your side then, sir, who first brought guns to the table. Now you are bleating earnest protestations that we have returned the favor? A tad disingenuous and hypocritical, don't you think?

Your new law is tyrannical and anti-constitutional on its face. You seek to impose it upon us with federal firearms, indeed, with the entire weight of the Federal Leviathan. We are trying to use every means short of exchanging gunfire to get you to see that you will have to kill us before we submit.

And we will not go gently into that collectivist good night.

So take the hint, but please don't shower us with hypocrisy.

Your side first brought guns to this table.

And, if you must insist, let's eat.

Mike VanderboeghThe alleged leader of a merry band of Three PercentersPO Box 926Pinson AL 35126GeorgeMason1776@aol.comhttp://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com

You know one of the very real problems with the left is they thin that 50% + 1 allows them to rule as a dictatorship, laws, customs, and the constitution be damned.

I forget which supreme court justice said it but he said something about laws and the constitution were designed to prevent a tyranny of the majority.

Its also ironice that an obviously well educated black man would thin this way. If it were not for those of us in this country who were willing to misbehave and do what was right vs. what the majority wanted or what was legal, he's still be in chains.

If the Progressive or to better put Repressive Main Stream Media still want to dwell on McVie let them. Who cares what these Assholes say anyway they can't even get their Facts Strait. The Branch Dividian's where a splinter group of the Mormon Church who separated, or where kicked out of their base religions orgainization. They where NOT ANY KIND OF MILITIA. What McVie did was WRONG, understandable, but WRONG he killed Innocent Children in Oklahoma City making himself Just As Guilty as Janet Reno and the rest of the Federal Circus, with the BIG DIFFERENCE being that McVie PAID for his crimes with his LIFE by Lethal Injection, Unlike the Federal Stoges at Waco. What McVie did was a act of revenge againt the Feds. Nothing more nothing less, a Horrific act but nothing more than revenge for his own Personal Satisfaction End of Subject,Period. What we as Constititnalist Militias or Independent Agents seak to insure is that such events as Waco, Ruby Ridge, and New Orleans don't happen again. that the Power of the Federal Goverment and in the case of New Orleans Local Goverment is Reined in and that any Authoritys who Perpertrate such Offences do Recive Punishment as Due Under Law. Laws that are already in effect, just not Enforced against Upper Echelon Agents or Authoritys. But Mainstearm Repressive Media doe's not understand this and they don't want to understand it either. Though they have eyes they shall not see,and though they have ears they shall not hear,enough said.So there OPINIONS no longer matter. Be carefull and remain True GOD BLESS

"Laws passed by congress are the supreme law of the land". (It amazes me what people get for their education dollars).What about the unconstitutional laws that have been struck down by the supreme court? Didn't congress write those?Only those wrote in "pursuants to the constitution" are the,"supreme law of the land".Note*, Anyone using the word "democracy", in context to law. My be well educated, and thus dangerous to themselves and other weak minded types in the area. But risk of infection is low for anyone with reading comprehension skills above fifth grade......mthead

"...They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. *That's* the *Chicago* way!" And *that's* who's in charge in Washington DC...the Chicago Machine.

You know, when the left opens their mouths the same bullshit rolls out every time. Conservatives are hicks, rednecks, uneducated, Christian, right-wing, nutjobs, old white men blah blah blah........... Then add that WE don't understand the Constitution or it is an old document put together by white racists..........or the SPLC says.........

If the leftists had a spine they would just come right out with their goals. Two of those goals are blantantly obvious. Seize our weapons and crush our voices. Many times have I read where one of these educated assholes has called for our extinction or to be rounded up and put into the FEMA camps.

The parasites are getting nervous because they a sensing that their hosts are getting ready to cut off their meal tickets. Soon it will really suck to be a gub'mint parasite.

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

pursuant means in conformance to or in agreement with.

the constitution and pursuant law, and not the whims of congress made to appear alongside these two things, is the supreme law of the land.

everything the congress has done without authority from its definition in article one is invalid and not law.

everything the congress has done which does not explicitly agree with or explicitly conform to the constitution is invalid and not law.

the document is written in plain english so that anyone can read and understand it.

Yeesh... Dennis, while I don't disagree with your sentiments, would it kill you to spellcheck?

Back to topic, being armed makes counter protests a bit trickier for the left. It's one thing to send SEIU thugs to rough up folks. It's another when the thugs might wind up being centerpunched for 'attempted assault' in front of witnesses who are all packing heat legally. Oops!

I read your article about the Restore the Constitution event, and there are two points I want to make.

First - it is extremely interesting to note that Mr Almond points to the battle of Lexington and Concord as his inspiration for the date of his event. Yet you obviously would rather associate him (and the rest of us) with Timothy McVeigh and the OKC bombing. That is such an old tactic: associate the worst offender you can possibly find with those whom you wish to besmirch.

Second - I will concede that there are some conflicting interpretations of the Constitution that have led to some legitimate differences of whether something is or is not Constitutional. But anyone mindful of the old truism "you can't see the forest for the trees" would be willing to look at the far larger picture: Too long have all those divergent interpretations been resolved in favor of growing government power, and reducing individual liberty. You speak of Almond's knowledge of history being faulty; but either you are ignorant of the Founder's view of what the Republic was supposed be, or you are dismissive of it. My first point about how you chose to characterize the event date leads me to believe the latter - rather than the former.

Presumably, then, Mr. Louis will come out and denounce the Deacons for Defense. They brought weapons to the table and did some great work in standing up for their rights in the face of thugs who would have taken them away.

Any time I hear a lefty run their mouth against "patriots" I remind them that us modern day patriots are in good company with the likes of George Washington, Ben Franklin, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, etc. I also remind those lefties that if they don't like patriots they must be aligned with the likes of Benedict Arnold.

This piece of garbage likes to quote Our Constitution,to bad the retard has upside down and backwards.The Left-scum should just come out and admit what they are,...But that would mean telling the truth.

Trying to use the Constitution to subvert it,doesn't work on those of Us who are Constitutionally literate.

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."-- John Stuart Mill

Toastrider said:"being armed makes counter protests a bit trickier for the left. It's one thing to send SEIU thugs to rough up folks. It's another when the thugs might wind up being centerpunched for 'attempted assault' in front of witnesses who are all packing heat legally."

I don't think we really have to be concerned with SEIU thugs attending the rally in Virginia. Thugs are cowards at heart, SEIU thugs in particular. They won't show up anywhere that a recipient of their thuggery could shoot the asshole in the face if they tried it.

And it's these same ijits that threatened Bush and his staff with death, multiple times and in public venues no less. Hell, even movies were made. And what did this ilk do? A full pass and some even cheered them on.

Two faced pricks. They will get theirs soon enough...

What do they really expect from folks when bonds were stolen by the UAW (Chrysler. &obama let it happen), some pensions lost in whole or in part, home values gone to hell, jobs lost... all due to the marxist pricks gaming the system for 'social justice'. They sure are in for a rude awakening...

Wanna bet they'll come to us to save their a$$? Sorry boys, we're busy fixing what you broke...

With all this talk about the "left", am I to suppose that Bush Jr. was ... "right"?

Let me rephrase it another way:

You all voted for the left all these years ... and here we are.

You all voted for the right all these years ... and here we are.

I find it amusing that people have no problem with voting for the lesser of two evils ... yet have a serious problem with voting for the lesser of the two.

But then again, most men do not ... will not ... vote for principles ... but rather ... convenience.

I can think of only one man in the last presidential debates who consistently quoted the constitution (imperfect as it is), quoted the founding fathers (imperfect as they were), told us where we have been, told us where we are going (he was right), and WHO did YOU vote for?

OK, let's see here . . . this guy has a B.A. in Government from Haaavaaaard, a Master's in political science from Yale (figures) AND a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. Wait! The leftist brainwashing he received in those three schools explains EVERYTHING - specifically why he doesn't understand two vital subjects in this whole debate: history, and Constitutional law.

And they let him actually write articles that people are supposed to read? I guess when TSHTF, and the dust clears, we're going to have to re-evaluate the curriculum in a LOT of scools across the nation and see just how in the world teachers could be so far off base that somebody like this could graduate without ANY knowledge of the subjects he's taken degrees in.

Hi Mike and other III pers we went to protest yesterday , our Representative Charlie Wilson at a banquet . The drive-by media says extra security had to be called in to hold back the angry mob. Of six people. LMAO My friend had his Gasden flag and I had a sign that says "III ARE EVERYWHERE" ...You can check it out at WFMJ.com under Baard energy plant videos ,as im not able to link yet. Its at the end of the video they show the mob. Cant wait till the 19th . I ll be there

"Progress made under the shadow of the policeman's club is false progress."

I believe that liberty is the only genuinely valuable thing that men have invented, at least in the field of government, in a thousand years. I believe that it is better to be free than to be not free, even when the former is dangerous and the latter safe. I believe that the finest qualities of man can flourish only in free air – that progress made under the shadow of the policeman's club is false progress, and of no permanent value. I believe that any man who takes the liberty of another into his keeping is bound to become a tyrant, and that any man who yields up his liberty, in however slight the measure, is bound to become a slave. -- H.L. Mencken

On the efficacy of passive resistance in the face of the collectivist beast. . .

Had the Japanese got as far as India, Gandhi's theories of "passive resistance" would have floated down the Ganges River with his bayoneted, beheaded carcass. -- Mike Vanderboegh.

In the future . . .

When the histories are written, “National Rifle Association” will be cross-referenced with “Judenrat.” -- Mike Vanderboegh to Sebastian at "Snowflakes in Hell"

"Smash the bloody mirror."

If you find yourself through the looking glass, where the verities of the world you knew and loved no longer apply, there is only one thing to do. Knock the Red Queen on her ass, turn around, and smash the bloody mirror. -- Mike Vanderboegh

From Kurt Hoffman over at Armed and Safe.

"I believe that being despised by the despicable is as good as being admired by the admirable."

From long experience myself, I can only say, "You betcha."

"Only cowards dare cringe."

The fears of man are many. He fears the shadow of death and the closed doors of the future. He is afraid for his friends and for his sons and of the specter of tomorrow. All his life's journey he walks in the lonely corridors of his controlled fears, if he is a man. For only fools will strut, and only cowards dare cringe. -- James Warner Bellah, "Spanish Man's Grave" in Reveille, Curtis Publishing, 1947.

"We fight an enemy that never sleeps."

"As our enemies work bit by bit to deconstruct, we must work bit by bit to REconstruct. Be mindful where we should be. Set goals. We fight an enemy that never sleeps. We must learn to sleep less." -- Mike H. at What McAuliffe Said

"The Fate of Unborn Millions. . ."

"The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their Houses, and Farms, are to be pillaged and destroyed, and they consigned to a State of Wretchedness from which no human efforts will probably deliver them. The fate of unborn Millions will now depend, under God, on the Courage and Conduct of this army-Our cruel and unrelenting Enemy leaves us no choice but a brave resistance, or the most abject submission; that is all we can expect-We have therefore to resolve to conquer or die." -- George Washington to his troops before the Battle of Long Island.

"We will not go gently . . ."

This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can't be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won't be done. The Founders' Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.

But I tell you this: We will not go gently into that bloody collectivist good night. Indeed, we will make with our defiance such a sound as ALL history from that day forward will be forced to note, even if they despise us in the writing of it.

And when we are gone, the scattered, free survivors hiding in the ruins of our once-great republic will sing of our deeds in forbidden songs, tending the flickering flame of individual liberty until it bursts forth again, as it must, generations later. We will live forever, like the Spartans at Thermopylae, in sacred memory.

-- Mike Vanderboegh, The Lessons of Mumbai:Death Cults, the "Socialism of Imbeciles" and Refusing to Submit, 1 December 2008

"A common language of resistance . . ."

"Colonial rebellions throughout the modern world have been acts of shared political imagination. Unless unhappy people develop the capacity to trust other unhappy people, protest remains a local affair easily silenced by traditional authority. Usually, however, a moment arrives when large numbers of men and women realize for the first time that they enjoy the support of strangers, ordinary people much like themselves who happen to live in distant places and whom under normal circumstances they would never meet. It is an intoxicating discovery. A common language of resistance suddenly opens to those who are most vulnerable to painful retribution the possibility of creating a new community. As the conviction of solidarity grows, parochial issues and aspirations merge imperceptibly with a compelling national agenda which only a short time before may have been the dream of only a few. For many Americans colonists this moment occurred late in the spring of 1774." -- T.H. Breen, The Marketplace of Revolution: How Consumer Politics Shaped American Independence, Oxford University Press, 2004, p.1.